Comments on: Windows Vista Stories

By: Windows Vista: Caught between Scylla and Charybdis « Limulus

Windows Vista: Caught between Scylla and Charybdis « Limulus — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 21:13:41 +0000

[...] agrees that Vista was simply not ready for release when Microsoft let loose Vista on the general public. [...]

By: Attendees | Gnomedex

Attendees | Gnomedex — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 20:24:55 +0000

[...] Windows Vista Stories October 3, 2007 – 7:00pm Click to Play http://live.pirillo.com – A few friends joined me live to discuss their opinions and thoughts about Windows Vista. (…) [...]

By: Jeff Bennett

Jeff Bennett — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 04:16:37 +0000

Hi Chris,
I just recently found your websites and really have enjoyed them. Just sat through the **entire (lol) cast of Windows Vista Stories. I thought it was a great webcast.
As for me, I won’t be migrating to Vista. I don’t like the idea of basically having to upgrade all of my PC’s just to run it, unless I just want to run the basic ver,,,,,not. A while ago I was converting to a linux home server and a dual boot XP/Unbutu pc, with my kids pc still using XP. Then came along windows home server. Hmm. I had to try it out, and I’ll have to say that for what it’s designed for, it seems pretty nice. But, then I got the Linux bug again, and loaded Linuxmint up as a dual boot system with xp. I then found out that I can’t stream to linux from my media stored on WHS, no input plugin. I haven’t been able to get by that. So I loaded Virtual PC into WHS, and put XP into it, and it streams fine to any pc in my house. So I don’t think I’ll be going to WHS.
Ubuntu announced that they are developing Ubuntu Home Server,,,Ha, looking forward to that.
As far as your question goes, no vista for me, LinuxMint/xp dual boot,,,XP replacing WHS as a file server for now, and the kids pc will stay XP for now. The only reason I’m even keeping XP around is for gaming. Oh yeah, Leopard could change things too, that looks really nice.

jeff

By: carlos

carlos — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 06:00:21 +0000

so backward compatibility its the problem of vista?

By: Piffles

Piffles — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 16:26:08 +0000

Hey man, get a life!
It’s just a computer. Changing over to MAC ain’t gonna change your life, you’re just changing your working tool.
And why did you upgrade to Vista anyway? Did you need to do something that XP could not do? No, I doubt it. If something works, don’t fix it.

By: Liam

Liam — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 03:48:27 +0000

I agree that some peoples problem stem from running old hardware but I doubt Chris or Jim Louderback (PC Magazine) are running old junk. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2171472,00.asp
Plus what about people like me? I work at a college as I stated in my other post and we don’t “build our systems” we buy from Dell.
We run Optiplex 745 which are Vista ready. We had setup 2 test computers. One with Vista Business with Office 2007 and one with Vista Business and Office 2003. Plus the updates from MS and the drivers from Dell.
What happened? Both ran slow and we had crashes. plus some other weird things with our network but I can’t be 100% sure that the network issues were Vistas fault.
Now we also got a brand new Dell XPS with Vista on it for the President of the college.
He could not sync his brand new WM5 based PDA with Vista. We finallly got it working but it took hours and many calls to MS. and Dell. Turns out it was a software problem in Vista. I am glad its working for you, but as someone stated it seems to be the minority who have it working perfectly and the majority that don’t.

By: TheDub

TheDub — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 22:32:20 +0000

Success stories don’t seem to outweigh the nightmare stories. Quick note to throw in here is that ok. I have had bad experiences with Vista BUT if I install Vista and only Vista on my Vista premium/ultimate ready laptop yes Vista runs nicely, stable and somewhat quick. Now its 3rd party software / drivers that are causing me issues. Even some of my flash drives do not work with Vista. Mainly my U3 enabled ones. Half of them work and half of them don’t. My Microsoft wireless mouse also initially had some issues with Windows Vista. I driver update was released I found out today through my VM and it actually fixes that issue. Zonelabs also got on the ball and released a ZA Security Suite that appears to run fine in Vista. I can’t test my gaming performance but there have been several driver updates from ATI and maybe that has changed to. My point is in the almost five months now that I have been using Windows XP Pro on my Vista Premium ready pc Vista has started to take shape. By service pack one I do think that Vista will be great. Right now though I’m still not confident to leave Windows XP yes its improving. I watch the improvements through a VM though not as my primary system.

Like chris said once its like buying a car where everything works in it besides maybe the steering wheel and the dealer you got your brand new car from says oh we will have that fixed for you in a year for sure.

Vista is nice, it just needs a little more time IMO. The driver vendors, 3rd party software companies and MS themselves just need time to catch up before Vista really takes off.

-TheDub

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 21:21:38 +0000

I whole heartedly agree with the fact that OSX is now a very viable option and frankly will be a great contender in the choice of platforms. I have personally been using Microsoft OS’ since the days of DOS, and always been the great supporter of PC vs Mac. In recent years though with the advent of Tiger and the latest Intel based Macs, I have made up up my mind that my next computer/OS will be a Mac, absolutely hands down. I tried Vista Ultimate, and I have to say, I am not impressed. I ended up wiping out the laptop I tested it out on and went back to a fully functional XP. It seemed to me that they tried to implement some poorly copied elements from OSX, and added a whole range of incomparability issues for both software and hardware related.

I will at least be able to run XP on a new Intel Mac natively or virtually. As it seems like Microsoft is trying to push XP into extinction. I really think that they rushed this failed OS out, and unless they completely bypass it, and get their act together with just 1 option of OS like Mac, without all the bull. It feels as failed as their Windows ME edition which was one of the worst OS versions ever.

By: Hairgel_Addict

Hairgel_Addict — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 18:26:18 +0000

Hey, Chris.

First of all I want to say(inform) you that you have a “fanboy” from “far far away” – Latvia, bet no one here knows where it’s. try googling it :) I’ve to chat room a couple of times and subscribed to “Chris Pirillo Show”.

Anywho, loved this video! It’s so on point! Like all of your “rant” videos :) In the end, like always, you’ve asked whether any Windows user is considering switching. Well, ever since I saw previews for all new features in Leopard, I really really started looking forward for it’s release. I’ve never used a Mac, well not for a long time, but never used it for work or any other purposes, and even thought I don’t really like that Macs have all text anti-aliased – it’s hard for me to read it, that’s the same reason I hate IE7, BUT STILL I am considering purchasing a Mac or a even better a MacBook when Leopard will be available in my country, because every single new feature it will have is exactly I always wanted to have in Windows and even tried finding some 3rd party application that will add them. Even if it would have been one application for each feature I’d be really happy, but never was able to find such applications – some were hogging to much memory, some were very ugly in terms of interface (yeah, I’m that picky) & some were just not adjustable therefor more annoying then useful.

Sooo.. I’m waiting for Leopard! Here kitty kitty! :)

By: Pophall

Pophall — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:39:40 +0000

I must be one of those dummies. I have been running Vista home premium sinc shortly after it came out. And while it was trying for a while, it is now starting up faster, running faster, cleaner than any other operating system I have used. There are some games (mostly older) that I can’t run any more but all the programs i need seem to run just fine. I can still program in VB6, Vissual Studio 2005, VBA, Access, etc. MS Office 2007, Word Perfect office 10, PageMaker, Photoshop, Sibelius, etc all seem to run fine. I must admit, however, that I had to follow a link in one of your newsletters to a site that showed how to reset the services settings. My biggest problems do not come from Microsoft but from companies who have not developed drives that work properly with Vista(would a WOW be appropriate here?).
You know, when I first subscribed to a Lockergnome newsletter, it was for the techno knowledge which I found in great abundance on this site. I found the same high level of knowledge on your original pick lists but they have evolved over time. Have you thought of venturing into new medias? You could very easily become the next Montel or Rush Limbaugh. Just expand your victimes, I mean targets.
Well, I guess I really am getting old. You have a good day now.

By: Kenny

Kenny — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:15:51 +0000

Vista was released fine, it was the machines that weren’t ready for it. Again, if you build your system for Vista, there are no issues. Vista has been 10x more stable for me than XP Pro has. Then again, that just might be all because Vista detects incompatibility in hardware better than XP and XP was only crashing because I had memory that wasn’t really ment for my old motherboard.
Those that comlain about Vista only do so because XP allows them to run their components together and gives them their daily crash out of it. Vista on the other hand doesn’t, and you only get your monthly crash.

By: ElQuia

ElQuia — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:00:18 +0000

Well Guys. I´m a former pc tech guy, I now work in the gamming bussiness. As a result I´ve always been the guy who tries the first beta out, always do. Did with w95, etc. Tho only windows I installed and threw away was the Win ME. When Vista beta came out, I read reviews, and waited. I´m Using XP64 on all production machines, and XP32 on home machines (driver and soft compatibilty issues with xp64). I just installed Vista Ultimate 64bit on my personal pc a month ago. After careffully chosing hardware. To my great surprise IT WORKS, Only one BSOD in a month and the culprit was an ESET beta. I dual boot with Ubuntu (I like to play with linux, but never found it ready to burn bridges with MS), Ubuntu x64 seems and is faster on some tasks than vista, Vista trouble: had to dump my trusty adaptec u2w 2940, nor MS nor Adaptec have 64 bit drivers. Had to chose hardware carefully. Vista NEEDS new pc´s. If you got an old one stick to xp (I´v got an pIII 700 runing with xp ok!!). If it´s for work, stick to xp, at least as every one says, let´s wait for SP1 and see if MS shows us the goodies once and for all.

By: Gary

Gary — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:29:45 +0000

Your insight into the “vista” problem is a welcome thing to hear from somebody considered a guru in the field. . And it underscores the MAJOR problem US consumers have right now: Companies so concerned about their stock prices right now, and giving that 35% return on peoples stock prices, that they have lost sight of the customer. They lack a LONG term view. Your experience is typical of many consumers right now, and not just with Microsoft products. They lose customer loyalty in their mad rush to keep their stock holders happy and their stock prices high. Mattel and Fisher Price are other examples of companys that cut corners, and what has it gotten them: maybe the deaths of their companys! Thousands of people who will longer buy from Mattel, or Fisher Price orwon’t buy anything Chinese.
3 years ago I had a stoke, followed a couple of months later by a heart attack. I learned first hand that dealing with BIG companies was extremely stressful, and often fruitless. Having to navigate 6 levels deep on phone systems before I even had the option of dealing with a live person. Because the were MORE interested in saving “unnecessary” expenditures so they could give their stock holders that 35% return on their stock: Guess what? I no longer do ANY business with them. They have lost me as a customer. Acer computers is another. Being on a fixed income, I had to buy a cheap laptop. After running into “Vista” issues i had to deal with outsourced “techs”, who could hardly turn the power on a machine, let alone provide me any help.And their solution to EVERY problem was to re-format the hard drive and use the recovery disk. This is like having a flat tire, and being told that the ONLY way to fix it is to rebuild the car!!!
Let me say this about Microsoft support: Although there was some outsourcing when I called, EVERY person I dealt with (around 10 of them over 2 months as various issue arose) was INCREDIBLY patient, knowledgeable, courteous, and conveyed with their tone a real desire to help. ( I know this because as a former paster I dealt with LOTS of phony people) EVERYONE. Including techs, managers and even one member of the core team for Vista!! The problems are not with the ave employee it seems, but with whoever in management is focused on their stock prices!!!
Well enough ranting for one day, lol. I really enjoy your videos and the blog Chris. Keep it up dude!

By: Liam

Liam — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:18:26 +0000

1. Chris, I forgot how animated you are. Its been a long time since TechTV watching you bounce around on screen. I bet your parents had a hand full when you were little.

2. I work in the IT dept. for a college. I support the Business and Computer classes so next year Vista will be on the desktops. I installed Vista when it was in beta and then freshly installed it when it came out with the full version (Business Edition). I of course moved back to XP and we decided to not put it on the PCs this year. (Thank God). I figured they would have some of the issues ironed out in SP1. From what I hear on your webcast this is not the case and it scares the heck out of me.
I have so many learning/teaching applications that need to be installed and I know Vista will not like them. Plus the fact that I have a program called Centurion Guard that locks the PCs down so the students (and instructors) can’t screw them up and I wonder how that will be like.
I have not found a person using Vista in a learning environment yet (I talk to a lot of college IT people in the SouthEast). All have said they are waiting for Vista to get more mature.

By: totoum

totoum — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 12:43:28 +0000

(posted this in another thread by mistake,i’ll copy and paste it here)

i’m 19 and I’ve used macs all my life,mainly because my dad is an apple fanboy.
Like chris said in the video,six years ago osX was far from what it is today ,in fact here’s what wikipedia says about 10.0 “cheetah”:
“The initial version was slow, not feature complete, and had very few applications available at the time of its launch, mostly from independent developers. Many critics suggested that while the OS was not ready for mainstream adoption, they recognized the importance of its initial launch as a base on which to improve. Simply releasing Mac OS X was received by the Macintosh community as a great accomplishment, for attempts to completely overhaul the Mac OS had been underway since 1996, and delayed by countless setbacks.”

That sounds similar to the vista situation to me,in fact many apple users were saying it was a beta and that apple knew it because they released 10.1 “puma” less than a year after cheetah came out (and it was a free upgrade), kind of like chris is saying vista is a beta and microsoft knows it because they’re releasing SP1.
But look at osX now,it’s in much better state,so i’m sure that microsoft will get its act together.
The difference,of course,is that apple couldn’t really lose any marketshare while this was happening because they had almost none,microsoft definatly has a lot to lose.